It is time to grab your bow and arrows and do a little treasure hunting with Winky. Move your way through the various rooms of the maze, grabbing treasure, while shooting or avoiding the monsters that lurk within.

Venture is a maze/adventure arcade game from Exidy that has also been ported to most of the early consoles. I have noded them all together here. Some things may be different depending on exactly which version you are playing.

The game itself is simple. Enter the room, grab the treasure, and head out into the hallway to find the next room. You can shoot the monsters inside the rooms (but you will still die from touching a dead monster). The monsters outside of the rooms are invincible (you have to run away from them). Each level is completed by grabbing all of the treasures. You will then receive a time based bonus and move on to the next more difficult level.

The arcade version of this game is supported by MAME, (and the mame.dk website has an excellent strategy guide). The other versions are also emulated (but the original is best).

From The Instruction Manual (The 1988 Atari release, the 1982 manual was very brief).

Over the past few weeks, several professional treasure hunters have
dissappeared while exploring a dungeon reputed to house the most priceless
treasures in the world. The only known survivor has returned with stories
of monsters who eliminate anyone who dares enter the dungeon's halls and
complex labyrinth of chambers. But authorities are not taking such reports
seriously.

"We have no rational explanation for these dissappearances," one
investigator reported. "All we know is that the brave soul who wants to
claim those treasures had better be sharp. At this point, the only one I
know who's clever enough for the job is Winky(TM)," he told a crowd of
would-be hunters. "Our hero should be ready with bow and arrows. Whoever
or whatever is guarding those treasures is determined that no one comes
out of there alive."

Collectors Information

Venture arcade machines came in a white dedicated cabinet and featured sideart of Winky battling green monsters (looks like snakes). This machine is very collectable (and is hard to find). This machine is compatible with Targ rom boards, but you have to rewire the power (different power scheme).

There are 2 different versions of this game for the Atari 2600 (actually same game, totally different packaging). The first was produced by Coleco in 1982. The second was produced by Atari in 1988 (The fun is back! Oh yesiree!). Both versions are equally common in cartridge form (but the 1982 version complete with box and manuals is rarer than the 1988 version).